This could stem from my childhood. My mother, a widely-read intellectual, forbade me to read anything by Enid Blyton (the other thing she banned was bubble gum; otherwise she was pretty relaxed. She even ignored me when, at the age of ten, I lit up a cigarette in front of her), so of course I longed for the Famous Five (I managed to get hold of just one). However, I don't remember longing for Noddy (does anyone? Long for Noddy, I mean?)
My own children were given one Noddy book, but I refused to read it to them. They didn't seem to mind too much.
(Another possible reason is that he reminds me of a garden gnome. 'Nuff said.)
Noddy has indeed too much of a garden gnome to be appealing. And yes, the car alone is enough to put me off! He is, as far as I know, not known to many German children, while all the other Enid Blyton stuff (the Sullivan twins are called "Hanni und Nanni" in German, and we all LOVED the famous five ("Fünf Freunde" - I can sing you the theme song from the 1960s/70s series anytime).
ReplyDeleteOur Mum wanted to ban Barbie - but then our grandma gave us a Barbie each for Christmas, and we so loved playing with them! She (grandma) hand-made the most wonderful clothes for them, and I don't think I have turned out more shallow than I would have without her...
Oh, and she did ban Bravo, a magazine aimed at teenagers. It really is full of the most ridiculous articles about pop stars, sex and "fashion" - a waste of money, even we understood that... but that never stopped us from avidly reading the copies our class mates hid under their desks at school.
You should have to watch Phineas and Ferb on TV like I did this Saturday with my nephew. It was torture. Really, there's no other word for it.
ReplyDeleteThe Disney Channel now, in general, just makes you want to jump out the window. When I was a kid, one of my favorite cartoons came on during "The Bullwinkle Show" and it was called "Fractured Fairy Tales" and they would have a fairy tale but put a clever twist to it. You would have liked that, I am sure!
My Mother too was a very widely read and intellectual lady. She didn't ban Enid Blyton though and, in fact, one of the books I can recall having, because I learned quite a few things about nature from it, was "The Adventures of Pip". I recall Caddis larvae, Hermit Crabs and how to tell a male Sparrow to name but three (not too bad for a book I last read more than 60 years ago). I remember Noddy but I can't recall if we had the books. Unlike Meike, though, I did like his car. But then I liked all cars. I was never into Famous Five stories.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with your annoying people though and Noel Edmunds (I've never heard of Harry Hill) and Benny Hill are very high up my list.
My mum never banned any reading material with the idea that to read anything was good for you. However, we were never allowed to eat candy floss, mushrooms, fizzy drinks - all for reasons too long to go into here. We have a tiny yellow car with Noddy for the grandchildren to play with. I have no strong feelings either way.
ReplyDeleteWell I read Noddy when I was young, and I loved Enid Blyton books. But I don't think I introduced Noddy to my own children to the same extent - we were more into Paddington!
ReplyDeleteSay what you like - as long as you leave Sooty alone.
ReplyDeletei so love this character
ReplyDeletedo check out my letters at GAC a-z
I used to love Enid Blyton - - my all time favourite book of hers being 'The Secret Island'. But never 'got' Noddy.
ReplyDeleteOh Frances, I clicked on Noddy because I think he's fun. He looked after everybody, and cheered the place up. I always have to smile when I see that cheerful face of his.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading Enid Blyton, but I must admit I never warmed to Noddy!
ReplyDeleteI don't care for Noddy and a plethora of other things. For example: Celine Dion, Beiber breath and his wild-eyed fans, and a host of movies and books from the YA genre.
ReplyDeleteMy mother wouldn't let me watch Blue Peter because she couldn't stand the voice of one of the presenters.
ReplyDeleteI heard this a while ago.
ReplyDeleteQ. "Why does Noddy wear a floppy blue hat with a bell on it?"
A . "Because he's an total bloody prat."
Hi Frances, I never read Noddy to my son when he was young,though I did enjoy reading Rupert to him. I wonder if Noddy would be seen as PC nowaday as I don't think it's nice to address someone as 'Big Ears'
ReplyDeleteLIbrarina, I agree with your mum about Barbie, but I do see the attraction. Just.
ReplyDeleteKay - have you tried In the Midnight Garden??
GB - oh yes! Benny Hill, too.
Maggie, I'm intrigued by the mushrooms...?
Rosemary, Padington is definitley more upmarket!
Keith, I can honestly say have never, ever, interfered with Sooty.
Thanks, Paul. Will do.
Biddy, she (EB) certainly appeals strongly to something in children.
Susanjanejones - I'm lost for words!
Teresa, I imagine tht warming to Noddy is an art which you and I don't have.
Jeremy, good for you!
Colette, I though Blue Peter was rather good, and my daughter won two badges!
Lucy - my sentiments exactly.
Jarmara, I seem to have missed out on Rupert. Not sure why.
I adored the famous Five and don't think it did me any harm. One of my daughters was obsessed with Malory Towers. Noddy - hm, no he didn't do it for me either. I think a lot of this is a matter of age, though.
ReplyDeleteFamous five = fab escapism to a pre-teen, cringe-inducingly sexist, racist and awful ever after.
ReplyDeleteNoddy = too creepily, cheerfully good to be remotely interesting. I wanted him to take his belled cap off and start whacking Big Ears with it or something.
Annoying characters on telly = too numerous to start on but yours'll do to be going on with!
Jenny, I did too (adore the Famous five) but probably largely because they were forbidden. Oh - and I identified with George!
ReplyDeleteAlis - "creepily cheerfully good". That's exactly it! BTW I know a very rude joke about Noddy, much loved by John (the joke. Not Noddy). I'll leave that for when we next meet, since it's not suitable for general release!
My favorite Noddy was/is Noddy Holder the lead singer of the band Slade.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to read all the A to Z blogs, but coming back to the ones I really like.
Looking forward to seeing what you do all month!
Tim
The Other Side
The Freedom of Nonbelief
Thanks for visiting, Timothy. It seems you are another Noddy fan!
ReplyDelete